How Many Couples Can Stay Together
by PheonixFireBlack
Summary: Title change! was How Many Couple Can Get Together Sequel! Lots of stuff happening. Draco is insane..oops! I mean, he's got this voice in his head...Mel and Draco *gasp* break up! Why? R/H? Argue? NEVER! Lori? she's still all alone...wo
1. Summer Time Is Here!

?Title - ?? (Sequel to How Many Couples Can We Get Together Today?)  
  
By - PhoenixFireBlack  
  
Summary - The summer after the gang (counting Lori & Mel) got out of Hogwarts. Tons of more  
fun and other things, some good, some not so good, happen during the summer. To find out what,you'll just have to read.   
  
A/N - Well guys, here it is. The sequel to HMCCWGTT. Don't know what that is? Well . . .  
HMCCWGTT = How Many Couples Can We Get Together Today (so you guys know) ^_^  
  
Well, the other one sort of didn't have much point to it other than the fact that it was a 'spur of the moment' kind of idea but...this one will have more of a point and will also have action....probably a lot of it too ^_^  
  
ANTYways, let's see...not much more to say cause I really don't know what you should expect in this b/c I still don't know (lol) so....ON WITH THE STORY! Muwahahahahahaha *cough, cough*  
haha?  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ch 1 - Summer time is here!  
  
The gang had all eventually found out about Mel and Draco. First Lori, then Hermione and Ginny,and lastly, Ron and Harry. At first, no one really liked the idea, except Lori whose attitude was like "Whatever. It's not me and I don't care."   
  
Now it was the last day of school and everyone was in a rush to get their things and go home. The sextuplet were on the train, trying to find an empty compartment. They found none. They found only one that had one other person in it. None other than Draco Malfoy was in the compartment alone.   
  
Melanie was the one to say what needed to be said "Draco? There are no other empty compartments and...well...we sorta all need a place to sit so....can we sit here?"  
  
"It doesn't look like this one is empty." He said to her, teasingly.  
  
She gave him a 'shut-up!' look then turned to the others, with a normal happy look "In case you didn't know, that means we're sitting here."  
  
They all entered and this is how everyone was sitting: Left bench (if you were looking in the  
compartment from the door.) - Closest to the door was Ginny, next to her was Harry, then Melanie and lastly Draco. Right Bench - nearest to the door was Lori, then Ron, next to him was Hermione and this was, of course, the end of it all.   
  
The train ride was extremely quiet but it also seemed to last no less than eternity. When they finally got to the station, the seven in the compartment, all except Melanie, not liking it all too well, were the last off the train seeing as they were in the last compartment in the very back of the train.   
  
When they got off the train, Lori, Ron, and Ginny saw their mum, dad, and, to the Ron and Ginny, unfortunately, the twins.   
  
"Why did they have ta come?" Ginny asked.  
  
"I don't know! Why couldn't they have just stay home?" Ron said.  
  
Lori grinned "I'm fine with it, I get to chew them out about my hair. Which is still green and silver might I add, if no one's cared to notice!"  
  
"I don't guess anyone did..." Ron said.  
  
"Just got used to it." Ginny finished.  
  
Lori turned to Mel, Hermione and Harry "Well....see ya....sometime? Sometime this summer that  
is, cause your all gonna end up coming."  
  
"Yeah." Harry said.  
  
"Definitely." Melanie confirmed.  
  
"For sure." Hermione put in.  
  
"We'll get you here at some point no matter what, you know." Ginny said.  
  
"Yeah, even if we have to do like we did in second year again, Harry." Ron laughed.  
  
Harry shook his head "I'd rather not repeat that."  
  
"Well, Mel never got to do that so, we'd do it for her!" Lori said.  
  
"Yeah! For me!" Melanie declared.  
  
Molly came over "We should really get going."  
  
There were two "But muuumm!" 's and one "But Aunt Molly!" and three unified "That's not fair!" 's   
  
"I'm sorry but he have to get home, lots to do."   
  
They sighed and said their goodbyes to Harry and Melanie.  
  
"Write me Mel! Cause if you don't I'll hunt you down and kick your butt!" Lori called over her shoulder. "And that goes for you too, Harry!"  
  
~*~*~  
  
The whole way home, Lori was scolding the twins but as they pulled into the driveway she said "So? Is there a way to get my hair back to normal? I mean, I liked not having the traditional Weasley hair for a while, but now...well....I WANT MY HAIR BACK!"  
  
They all got out and the twins started laughing.  
  
"It's NOT FUNNY!"  
  
"Yeah...actually...it is." They chorused.  
  
"Which one of you actually came up with the whatever-you-called-it idea?"  
  
"I did." Fred confessed.   
  
"FREDERICK WEASLEY! YOU HAD BETTER GET BUSY ON A BLOODY REVERSING THING! OR–WELL–I HAVEN'T QUITE THOUGHT OF WHAT YET, BUT I'LL DO SOMETHING SEVERE TO YOU! BOTH OF YOU! You're BOTH GREAT PRATS AND SODDING GITS!" And with that she grabbed her stuff and went into the house.  
  
The twins blinked.  
  
"I've never seen her that mad before, have you?" Fred said.  
  
George shook his head "Nope....wonder what's up?"  
  
"PMS?"  
  
They looked at each other and shrugged but went inside cautiously.....very cautiously, as not to  
upset their younger cousin any more than they already had.  
  
"I thought she liked it just a week ago...isn't that what she said in her owl?"  
  
"Yeah...oh well....women..."  
  
"Can't live with 'em."  
  
"Can't live without 'em."  
  
A/N - sextuplet is not a perverted word. It means 'group of six' okay? Ok! Just so we're clear on that. ^_^  
  
so, whatcha think? need more? don't worry, I've got several chaps to upload ^_^ 


	2. Letters, Arrivals, and Arguments

?Ch 2 - Letters, Arrivals, and Arguments   
  
A/N - Well...this chap is a bit longer than the first...as you can see...an argument here..can you guess who its between?  
  
~*~*~  
  
After about two and a half weeks of the summer had gone by, Lori mailed–err–excuse me–owled  
Melanie asking if she could come and spend some of the summer there.  
  
Melanie's reply came during breakfast on a Thursday morning. Errol did as he usually did and  
slammed into the closed window. "Oooohhh....Ooowww...." Lori, Ron, Ginny, and the twins all  
chorused.   
  
"Someone please open the window for him." Molly said.  
  
Lori got up and opened the window, picking up the bird and letters. "Aunt Molly, Ron from  
Harry...I wanna read it when you get done, Percy...oh...I mean Weatherby from....some Ministry person, and....Me! Yay! I have mail!" She said as she handed out the mail to the respective person.   
  
"You're so much like–like–" Percy stumbled over his words.  
  
"The twins?" Lori supplied.  
  
"Yes! Exactly!"  
  
"I am, aren't I?" She grinned as she opened the letter she got from Melanie.   
  
Lori,  
  
Hey girl! Its summer so I'm obviously doing great! And...sure! I'll come if its all right with my parents and under one condition of my own: I get to bring a friend with me. Yes, the friend is a wizarding folk, but don't ask who it is cause I'm not telling you. I want it to be a surprise when we get there.  
  
See ya soon,  
-Mel Zardou  
  
"Cool. She can come. Aunt Molly, is it all right if Melanie comes here she brings a friend? She says the person isn't Muggle so...is it all right?"  
  
"Yes, of course dear."  
  
"Wicked!" She turned to Ron "So, are you done with the letter from Harry yet."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Instead of reading it herself, she just asked "So, what'd he say?"  
  
"He said he'll come."  
  
"When?"  
  
"Dunno...I should probably ask."  
  
"I gotta ask Mel too." With that she excused herself from the table and went upstairs to write Melanie. Basically all the letter was Lori asking when the earliest time she could come was.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Three days later, Melanie was on her way to the Burrow with her mystery friend. They arrived  
around four that afternoon and boy was it HUGE surprise who the 'friend' was.   
  
When their was knock at the door around four on Sunday afternoon, Lori, figuring it was Melanie, answered the door. "Mel!" The girls hugged. "Where's your friend?"  
  
"He's right here."  
  
Lori smiled "He?" But her smile immediately faded when she saw who 'he' was. "Oh." was all she could say as she let them in.   
  
She went a little ahead of them to give her cousins a heads up on who the 'friend' was. "Guys! Ron! Fred, George! Gin!"  
  
"What?" They all said.  
  
"Its–" She dropped her voice drastically "Malfoy!"  
  
"What?" Ron said quite loudly.  
  
"Ssshhh!" Lori shushed her cousin by putting her hand over his mouth. "The mystery friend Mel  
was talking about bringing. Its Malfoy. Thought I'd give you a little heads up on it."  
  
At this point, Melanie and Draco came in and all the Weasley teens sat down, right where they were: The twins fell to the couch, Ginny in a chair but the other two on the floor.   
  
"Ooooowwww!" They chorused.  
  
Melanie raised an eyebrow at the two "Are you okay?"  
  
"Umm...no." Ron said.  
  
And Loir put in "My butt kinda hurts but...other than that, I"m GREAT!"  
  
"So...he's the friend you brought, huh?"  
  
Mel nodded "Yep. Is anyone else here?"  
  
"No, 'Mione and Harry...well...we're waiting for a reply from Harry but....I dunno about  
'Mione...Ron?" Lori said as she looked at him  
  
"What?"  
  
Lori sighed and rolled her eyes "Hermione, is she coming?"  
  
"Oh, umm–"  
  
"You don't know, do you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Your telling me you haven't owled her the whole summer?! Its been four weeks, Ron! That's a  
whole month! She's probably gonna come here by Floo thinking your in a coma or the twins did  
something extremely hazardous to your health."  
  
As if on cue, Hermione fell promptly in the Wealey's fireplace.  
  
"See?" Lori said in a knowing voice.  
  
Hermione, evidently not seeing Ron, who was still sitting on the floor, got up and dusted herself off "Where's Ron? What happened?" she looked at the twins then to Lori "Did they do something extremely hazardous to his health?"  
  
Lori looked down at Ron with a I-told-you-so look on her face. "Guess I'm psychic, huh  
Ronniekins?" She said as she helped him stand up.  
  
"Ohmigod! Ron! Your ok! I was worried about you! You didn't owl me for a whole month! What  
happened? Why didn't you send me any letters?"  
  
Ron sat down in a chair and buried his face in his hands "Can't we talk about this later 'Mione?"  
  
"No! I want an answer....NOW, Ronald Weasley!"  
  
He looked up at her "How many times do I have to tell you to not call me that?!"  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you to not call me Mione? Not that you listen or anything!"  
  
"She just got here, and they're already fighting...this is interesting..." Melanie muttered to Lori.  
  
"They've always been like this! Its quite entertaining." She grinned then turned to the, to everyone except she and Melanie, unwanted presence of Draco Malfoy "Don't you think?" She asked. She had actually gotten pretty used to Melanie and Draco dating and she and Draco had actually started to be able to talk to each other in a pretty civil manner.   
  
"Yeah, I have to admit, its kind of fun to watch them argue like this."  
  
"My question is: What would she do if he cheated on her? Not that he would but...what if?"  
  
Melanie laughed "That's a scary thought!"  
  
"I know!" Lori said in a normal voice.  
  
"I know!" Melanie said in one of her best valley girl imitation voice.  
  
"I know!" Lori mimicked her.  
  
"I know!"  
  
They both went into a fit of laughter, and Draco, confused, went back to listening to the argument.  
  
"Well I just wanted something different to call you!"  
  
"Why? What's wrong with my name the way it is?"  
  
"Nothing! I just...thought it was interesting. But what's so wrong with it anyway?"  
  
"You–you wouldn't understand." She said, her voice losing its volume and anger.  
  
As was Ron's "Come on Hermione, what is it? You trust me, right?" he said as he walked over to  
her.  
  
"Yes, I trust you but...You–you wouldn't like it."  
  
"Come on Hermione, please. What is it?"  
  
"It–its what he used to call me."  
  
Ron frowned "Who?"  
  
"Vi–Vik–" She choked out.  
  
"Krum?" Ron asked, the jealously prominent in his voice and eyes.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"You li–liked it when he called you it, didn't you?"  
  
She nodded again, very slowly.  
  
Now he had jealousy and pain in his voice "But–but not when–not when I do it."  
  
Her eyes watered as she closed them and shook her head 'no'. "Its not that."  
  
"Then what is it?"  
  
"Its just...when you call me 'Mione...it reminds me of him and–"   
  
"And what Hermione, what is it? You like the thought, or what?"  
  
"No, Ron! I don't like the thought! Why would I like the thought?!"  
  
"I don't know...it just seems that....I mean....he's got all the fame and money...why wouldn't you like him more?"  
  
"Why would I, Ron? You think fame and money mean anything to me?"  
  
"I–I don't know...it's just..."  
  
"What, Ron? What is it?"  
  
"I–I don't know how to explain it."  
  
"Well...anyway, as far as when you say it...well...its that it reminds me of him and I don't like the thought....its not that I don't like you calling me it, it's from where the name originated from and who said it...I don't like it."  
  
"Well....I don't care what Vicky called you. I'm going to call you whatever you'll allow me to and...somehow you'll get the thoughts of him out of your head."   
  
She smiled "Thanks..."  
  
He put his arm around her waist and after a few seconds said "So...can I call you Mione?"  
  
She looked up at him and smiled while shanking her head, laughing a little bit. "Yes...remember? I'll get the thoughts out of my head somehow."  
  
Ron smiled.  
  
With that, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.   
  
Lori shook her head "Weird, aren't they?"  
  
The couple behind her shook their heads.  
  
"Yep." Mel said.  
  
~*~*~  
  
About a week later, Melanie's black eagle owl, Nightfall, came at the window in the afternoon. *Tap, tap, tap* He was tapping on the unopened window.   
  
Melanie got up and opened the living room window "Night! What are you doing here? Who ya got  
a letter from, huh?" She asked as she untied the letter. "Oh, its mom...hmm...well....lets see what she wanted, eh?" She asked the owl as she gave him some water and a few owl treats.   
  
Melanie,  
  
As you know, your father and I are very good friends with the Malfoys. Well, they are wanting  
their son back. Lucius owled and told your father just yesterday. He also said to just tell Draco that "The dogs are barking." and he would know what it meant.  
  
Thank you,  
-Mom  
  
"The dogs are barking?" Melanie said with a raised eyebrow. Just as she said this, Draco came in.   
  
"What?" he asked, hoping she hadn't said what he thought she had.  
  
She turned to face him "My mom just owled me and told me that your dad said to tell you that 'the dogs are barking' and you should know what it means."  
  
"Dammit!"  
  
"What the hell does that mean?"  
  
"What? Dammit?"  
  
"No, you git! The dogs are barking! What the hell does this mean?"  
  
"Oh...well....I can't tell you."  
  
"Yes you can! I'm your girlfriend! You can tell me anything! AND plus! When we decided we were gonna go steady I told you about my No Secrets From Melanie policy."  
  
"You know, I was thinking about that. Shouldn't it be the No Secrets policy?" He tried to changed the subject.  
  
"No...it's the No Secrets From Melanie policy, but what does that phrase mean, Draco?"  
  
"The most I can tell you is that I have to go home."  
  
"But why?"  
  
"Because I–" He started but thought twice about it "I can't tell you, alright?"  
  
"But why not?"  
  
"Because...I just....can't ok? Now...stop."  
  
"I'll do the puppy dog pout!" She made her eyes all sad-like and stuck out her lower lip "Pwease?"  
  
"No! Alright, you wanna know why I can't tell you?"  
  
"Uh-huh." She nodded.  
  
"Because, if I told you it would put you in every danger you could possibly think of.....and more.." And with that he turned around and left to go pack and go home. How you may ask? Well...lets just say....he has his ways.  
  
She blinked and yelled after him "HEY! I'm already in the worst trouble I could be in! I'm friend's with The-Boy-Who-Lived!"  
  
~*~*~  
  
When Draco got home he knew what was coming. He was about to become a Death Eater, and there  
was no way out of it. He couldn't just...not become one. He had already agreed to his father two years ago he would and he couldn't back out now.   
  
He soon found out that was not what he was home for. What he was actually home for  
was...well...some kind of ceremony. What kind exactly he wasn't sure, he just knew that there was a circle of 5 witches, and 5 wizards, including his parents, and he stood in the middle of it all while they chanted some incoherent something or another. He didn't get the big deal. Nothing was happening.   
  
He would soon find out that nothing was happening.....yet.  
  
After they chanted whatever it was they were chanting about 7 minutes, a bright, blue-green-white light was in front of Draco. What the he– He didn't get to finish the thought before the light went into him and he was knocked out.   
  
~*~*~  
  
When Draco awoke, it was two days later. "What the hell? What happened?" and...he noticed that he wasn't at home anymore...he was at the Weasley's house. "And how the hell did I get here?" Once this was asked, he looked around and realized that Melanie was in the room, sitting at the desk.  
  
Melanie turned from the desk to face Draco. "Well...I dunno what happened or how you got here. I just know that I woke up yesterday morning and you were here....I had actually been hoping you could answer what had happened."  
  
"I don't know. I was at home, and there were witches and wizards, 10 of them, 5 of each...a  
circle...me in the middle and....them...saying god knows what, then a bright blue-green-white light  
and....then...after that....I don't know..."  
  
"Oh..yeah...cause that helps, right?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Melanie smiled, stood, grabbed the chair she was sitting in and placed it next to the bed and sat down, feet propped up and crossed over each other. "So...people saying junk that you couldn't understand, a bright bluey-greenish-white light and you, most likely, getting knocked out and waking up in the Burrow two days later. That about it?"  
  
Draco nodded, massaging his temple.  
  
"Are...you ok?"  
  
He shook his head "No...."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Headache...and....something...something's different..."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Come on! Tell me! What's different, Draco?" She said, kind of threateningly.  
  
"I don't know." he repeated, a little harsher.   
  
"Draco Malfoy! If you don't tell me right now, I'll–" She never got to finish her rant because she pulled her attention to her boyfriend's actions. He was holding his head in pain.  
  
"Draco? Draco, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly  
  
"I......don't....................know." he said, just before passing out.  
  
~*~*~  
  
A/N - whatcha think?  
  
What's happenin' ta draco? you'll see soon ^_^ 


	3. Lance

?Ch 3 - Lance  
  
A/N - here's ch 3! You get to find out what happened last chapter ^_^  
  
~*~*~  
  
After Draco had passed out, Melanie ran downstairs into the kitchen. Molly, seeing the worried look on her face said "What is it dear?"  
  
"Its–its Draco. He woke up then and I asked him if he was ok and he said no and I asked what was wrong and he told me he had a headache and something wasn't right, I asked what and he said he didn't know and then I asked again and he stuck with that and I asked one last time and he said it only....the words....they were really spaced out and then....he passed out." She said all in one breath.  
  
"Oh my!" Molly said as she started up to the room that he was in. When she entered she scurried over to him "Draco? Dear, wake up."  
  
After a few minutes of things like this were said, Draco started coming to. "Mmm." He blinked a couple of times and sat up "Wha–what happened?" He asked weakly.  
  
"I'm not sure, you just sorta....passed out." Mel said.  
  
"Oh...yeah...I remember now. Before I passed out though...." He trailed off and frowned.  
  
"What? What was it, dear?" Molly asked.  
  
Draco looked up at her, just noticing she was in the room "Uhh...nothing."  
  
"Alright well...I'll leave you be, but you tell me if anything is wrong, alright?."   
  
Draco nodded.  
  
With that, Molly left the room and went downstairs.   
  
Melanie sat down in the chair she had placed next to the bed earlier "What were you talking about walla go? Something happen before you passed out?"  
  
"....Oh...uhh....well....you see....he sort of–"  
  
"Wait, wait, wait. He who?"  
  
"Uhh...well....his name is Lance....umm....Cadra...yeah, that's it. Lance Cadra."  
  
"Cadra. Cadra. Why does that name sound so familiar?"   
  
"I don't know...but he's in my head."  
  
"In your head? That would freak me out."  
  
"So, anyway, now what?"  
  
"Hey, I'm gonna go see something, be back in a bit, ok?"  
  
He smiled weakly and nodded.  
  
On her way out, she kissed him the ran out.  
  
Melanie went downstairs and ran into George...or...Fred? Oh well! It was one of the twins.  
  
"Mel, sheesh! Watch it!"  
  
"Sorry...George–err–Fred–uhh–whoever you are."  
  
"You were right the first time."  
  
"Alright. Well–uhh–do you know where Percy is?"  
  
"Percy? Why would I know where he was?" George said jokingly.  
  
"Come on, George! I'm serious! Where is he? I need to talk to him!"  
  
"Your Sirius?"  
  
"No, but seriously." She said, aggravated "Now, where is he? I really need to talk to him!"  
  
"Well....I guess if you need to talk to Percy, it must be serious. Last I knew he was downstairs in the living room."  
  
"Thanks!" She ran down the stairs, skipping two at a time. When she entered the living room she found Percy looking at some papers on the couch. She ran over and plopped down beside him, turned to her left. "Percy!"  
  
Apparently, Percy hadn't seen or heard her come down because he jumped about a mile and papers went everywhere.  
  
"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you but I really need to talk to you." She said, grabbing random  
papers from the air.  
  
"What about? This isn't some kind of prank, is it?" he immediately assumed.  
  
Melanie sighed "No, its not part of a prank."  
  
"Well...what is it then?" he asked cautiously.  
  
"I wanted to know why the name Lance Cadra sounds familiar and where I might have heard about  
him."  
  
Percy's face contorted into a look of complete horror "La-Lance Cad-Cadra?"  
  
"What? Tell me!.....NOW!" She threatened.  
  
"Alright, he was the most powerful wizard of all time, he was even more powerful You-Know-Who  
at his highest point. Other than that...I'm not all that sure about anything else. I mean...the rest is just simple legend, no fact to it."  
  
"I don't care! What was the legend?"  
  
"Well...it was said he could do anything from astral projection to taking over people, uhh...basically think Vo–You-Know-Who..." He caught himself almost saying HIS name, at the thought he shuddered "Times about a million."  
  
Melanie blinked "Wow! Is there any more?"  
  
"Not as far as I know."  
  
"Ok, thanks Perce." She said, getting up and patting him on the back "Sorry about the papers." As she left, she started walking then running up the stairs, trying to go two at a time again but failing after the second time, tripping.   
  
"What did you do?" Percy asked.  
  
"Tripped is all, I'm ok!" She yelled back down the stairs and continued up the stairs as fast as she could, one by one.   
  
She made it back to the room Draco was in (which...did I mention was a guest room that Mel stays in? *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*) She sort of...burst in and scared Draco half to death.  
  
"Sweet Merlin! Don't' do that Melanie!"  
  
"Sorry but I just figured out who this Lance guy is!"  
  
"Who?!" Draco said, sitting up immediately.  
  
"Ok, according to legend and all, he's like, a million times worse than Voldemort...and he could do anything and everything from astral projection to taking over people's bodies and minds."  
  
"So that's how he's in my head! Well, I'll have you know, Lance, I don't like you in my head."  
  
Melanie shook her head "Anyhow, has he talked to you at all?"  
  
"Once...but....I don't remember what was said."  
  
"Well...if he says anything in particular, tell me, k?"  
  
He nodded.   
  
"Well, its like....almost two in the morning now so... I guess we should sleep, huh?"  
  
He nodded again "Yeah, kinda tired anyhow." He said, trying but failing to stifle a yawn.   
  
~*~*~  
  
A/N - now what? lol you'll see. Remember? I have LOTS of chaps for this to upload, I just have to get the chaps seperated LOL! ^_^ 


	4. Attacks and Confusion

Ch 4 -   
  
The next week went by perfectly fine but one fateful Tuesday afternoon Draco and Hermione were talking, both sitting under a big shade tree. Now everyone had befriended Draco...to some extent anyhow.   
Everyone else was outside too, except the adults and twins. Ron and Harry were sitting about 3 feet to the left of Draco and Hermione, talking about Quidditch, Lori, Melanie, and Ginny to their right.   
  
There was a slight pause in Draco and Hermione's conversation and this is when Lance decided to make himself present in Draco's head. (( ~TEXT~ = Lance to Draco and *TEXT* = Draco to Lance))  
  
~Draco! How are you doing?~  
  
*Go away, Lance!*  
  
~That's no way to treat a friend, now is it?~  
  
*Friend? Your no friend! I don't think friends would take over another friend's mind!*  
  
~Well...as far as that goes...your probably right...but...this is an exception~   
  
*How?*  
  
~I can give you power, you know? Unlimited power, the power I had before I was killed.~  
  
*That's fine, I don't want it.*  
  
~Then I have to do this.~  
  
After a few seconds of silence... *Do what?*  
  
~Malfoy!~  
  
*Wha–* Before he could finish the word, he got a sharp pain in his head. At this point he was subconsciously holding his head in his hands from the pain.   
  
"Draco? Are you ok?" Hermione was saying, it sounded like she was so far away.   
  
Everyone turned to look at them.  
  
"Kinda looks constipated" Ron said  
  
Before Draco could even get the chance to answer his head snapped up, his eyes flashed blood red and he lunged at her and, within seconds, had her pinned down. Right hand holding her right shoulder and his left arm over her throat. After about two seconds of this, he jumped off of her and she stood up "Draco!"  
  
He said nothing to her but muttered something under his breath and held his hand, palm towards her. A green and silver light shot towards her and knocked her against the tree.   
  
After this, he heard Lance say, in a tantalizing tone ~Malfoy....~ again and he (Draco) dropped to his knees and held his head again.   
  
As soon as Draco had shot the stream of light at Hermione, Ron had run to her. "Hermione?" He said.  
He looked behind him at Draco "You! I knew you couldn't be trusted! I don't care what everyone else says!"  
  
"Wha–What did I do?"  
  
"What did you do?" Ron repeated in a mocking tone. "As if you don't know!"  
  
"No. Ron, I really don't know what I did."  
  
Ron ignored him "Hermione? Hermione, please wake up!" She made no movement or sound. "Hermione?" now he was sounding a lot like he did in second year when he and Harry were around all the spiders. "Please...wake up." Still no movement or sound. He was already sitting down but now he leaned against the tree. He hit his head on it about three times. "Why, Draco? Why did you do it?"  
  
"I don't know what I did, Ron! I can't answer you!"  
  
Lori, Melanie, Ginny, and Harry all exchanged glances. "I think he's telling the truth, Ron." Lori said, going over and sitting next to her cousin.   
  
He had his eyes closed before but now he opened them, going back to trying to wake Hermione up. After a few minutes he looked over his shoulder "If you killed her, your going to pay. Pay with your life. I'll kill you personally."  
  
"Umm...Ron...she's still breathing...you git!" Melanie said.  
  
Draco actually looked a little freaked out by that. The thought of an extremely angry Ron Weasley just seemed a bit scary. He muttered to Mel "Do you think he's serious?"  
  
"Uh....probably."  
  
Lori, being on the other side of Draco and hearing what he said, replied "Well...he probably is serious. The only reason I think that is: One, its something to do with Hermione and two, he's a Weasley, when a Weasley says they'll do something, they'll do it."  
  
"Really? Well...that kind of scares me."  
  
Lori grinned "I mean, when we set our minds to something, we stick to it, but I doubt he'd actually kill you but if he tries to, someone will stop him, trust me."  
  
~*~*~  
  
They had taken Hermione inside to Ginny's room. She was laying on the bed, still asleep. If that's what you preferred to call it. This is, of course, what Ron preferred to refer to it as, because he didn't like the thought of her being knocked out or anything worse.  
  
He was currently sitting in a chair next to the bed she was in, holding her hand, his forehead on her hand. "Mione...." He whimpered. "Please......wake up....."  
  
Lori came up to Ginny's room to check on the two. She knocked on the door "Knock, knock?"   
  
Ron looked up towards the door "Yeah?" He said, his voice cracked, as if he had been crying before.  
  
Lori opened the door and came in. "Hey." She said softly. "How you doing?" She asked as she sat down in a chair next to his.  
  
He looked at her, tears in his eyes. That was all she needed for an answer. He leaned into his cousins shoulder, sobbing."Why? Why her?" he said, his question muffled since he was crying into her shoulder.   
  
"I don't know, Ron. I just don't know." She said, gently rubbing his back in an sympathetic manner  
  
He lifted his head "I don't get it...I don't understand! Why Hermione? Why?"  
  
"I'm sorry Ron...I don't know."  
  
"Do you think–do you think he actually did anything to–to really truly harm her?"  
  
"I"m not going to say yes and I'm not going to say no for sure but ...as far as what I think, no."  
  
"What if he–he–" He cut himself off, not wanting to finish the sentence.  
  
"No, Ron. He wouldn't do that."  
  
"How can you say that? He's destined to be a Death Eater, if he's not already!"  
  
"Maybe so, and maybe he doesn't like Hermione but...he wouldn't kill her right in front of you. Even Malfoy is that cold hearted."  
  
"No? You don't think so? Well I do."  
  
"I know you don't like him, Ron, but really, he's not all bad. Especially now that he's been dating Mel and all. He's changed..."  
  
"I don't care, Lori. If Mione doesn't wake up, I'm going to hurt him in so many ways...."  
  
Lori looked at her watch: 2:58am. "Ron, sleep is in need you know?"  
  
He shook his head "No. Not now."  
  
"Ron." she said in warning tone, as if she were older even though she was only by about two months.   
  
"You can't make me do anything."  
  
"I'm older than you, I've got authority over you."  
  
"Your only two months older than me."  
  
"I still have authority."  
  
"You shouldn't."  
  
"Aunt Molly said that if you started getting too worked up about it all....I have authority over you."  
  
"I'm not getting worked up about anything."  
  
"Yes you are, Ron. This whole ordeal with Hermione, your getting too worked up about it."  
  
"No I'm not!" he said already getting infuriated with her.  
  
"See?"  
  
"Lori! For Merlin's sake! She's my girlfriend! I have reason to get worked up!"   
  
Lori took her cousin by the shoulders and shook him viciously. As she did he was glaring at her."Ron! Stop! Snap out of it!"  
  
He stared at her then the shield he had formed to keep himself from crying broke. He sat back down, face in his hands. "I'm sorry...I don't know....what happened. Its just..."  
  
Lori shook her head "You don't have to explain, I understand."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Well...I mean....I can't really begin to understand what your going through but I know why you leashed out like that."  
  
He stayed silent for awhile.  
  
"Well...you know, you could always just sleep on the floor in here."  
  
"Yeah...I may as well cause I know this is where I'm going to end up falling asleep."  
  
"I'll go get some blankets and pillows and junk."  
  
"Ok."  
  
Lori got up and left for the said things and was back within three minutes with two pillows and two sleeping bags.   
  
Ron frowned "Two?"  
  
"I'm staying to."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"To watch over you, your not exactly yourself now."  
  
~*~*~  
  
The two cousins had fallen asleep around 3:30am on the floor. Now it was about five o'clock in the morning and Hermione woke up. "Mmmm....what's going on?" She whispered to no one in particular.   
  
Even though he was asleep, Ron heard her and sat up immediately "Mione?"   
  
"Ron?"  
  
No one would have been able to tell because it was so dark but Ron grinned "Mione."  
  
"Ron...wha–what happened?"  
  
"What do you remember last?" He asked, getting up and sitting in the chair.  
  
"Malfoy muttering something and then a green and silver light...after that...its all blank."  
  
"Well...you didn't miss much...except me saying something to him..."  
  
"What did you say?" She asked.  
  
"Nothing really...just that....if he had done anything to really truly harm you then I'd....I'd kill him."  
  
"Ronald Weasley!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I can't believe you!"  
  
"I didn't know what he did to you!"  
  
"Still!"  
  
"I was just...."  
  
"I don't care, Ron!"  
  
"But I thought he had seriously hurt you Mione."  
  
"Well, I'm fine, aren't I?"  
  
"Yeah...I guess..." he said weakly.   
  
"I just don't understand you sometimes, Ron!"  
  
"What's to not understand? Tell me and I'll explain it."  
  
"Its just...your always doing stuff like that! And I don't understand why. I mean...you even when we were just friends..."  
  
"Its....Its just...I'm...I don't know...defending you, I guess is what you'd say."  
  
"Defending me?"  
  
"Y-Yeah."  
  
She sighed.   
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Mione.."  
  
"Its nothing, Ron. I'm just tired. I'm going to go to sleep now, k?"  
  
"Alright."  
  
~*~*~ 


	5. Tickle Fest and Some Explaining

Ch 5  
  
The next few days went by easily with nothing happening. Today, on this wonderful Thursday afternoon, Ginny and Hermione were in the living room, on the floor, talking.  
  
"Thanks for the great description on how good a kisser my brother is, Hermione!" Ginny said, covering her ears. "Eeww!"  
  
"Oh, right, and I wanted to know how good one of my best friends was, right?"  
  
"You obviously had at some point....your going out with Ron."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Ginny laughed, then the two girls noticed shadows over them and looked up to find the said boys standing over them.   
  
"Yes?" The girls chorused.  
  
Neither of the boys had said anything but they had these grins on their faces that was kinda scary...since it wasn't too far off of a grin Fred and George would give them before they pulled a prank.  
  
The girls stood up "What's wrong with you two?" Ginny asked.  
  
After a few seconds of silence and thought, Hermione looked at Ron "You better not be thinking what I think your thinking of doing because if you are, you can forget about it!....Are you thinking what I think your thinking?"  
  
He shrugged "Depends on what you think I"m thinking."  
  
Ginny looked from Harry, to Ron, to Hermione, then back to Harry "Harry James Potter! If your thinking what I think she's thinking that he's thinking, your dead!"  
  
Harry blinked "If I didn't know the situation here, that would have been really confusing."  
  
The girls started to back away from their advancing boyfriends, then they turned and broke into a run. Harry and Ron just followed them, right on their heels.  
After about 14 minutes of chasing, the boys decided they were going to catch the girls now and did just that.   
  
"Ron! Put me down! Put me down! Put me down!"   
  
"HARRY! Put me down! Put me down! Put me down!"  
  
After getting them in the living room again, the boys put them down.  
  
Hermione immediately tried to get away again, but failed. Ginny didn't try because she knew she wasn't going to prevail.  
  
With that, the boys pinned the girls down so they couldn't get up and started tickling them.  
  
....This went on for about 30 minutes before Hermione threatened to start throwing curses, hexes and anything else she could think of. Which both boys knew she knew quite a lot of them.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Melanie and Draco were in their shared room, both sitting on the bed, talking.  
  
"Do you think it was that Lance dude that made you lash out like that?"  
  
"Maybe...but how? He's only a voice in my head, right?"  
  
"Did he say anything in particular before you went nuts?"  
  
"That's for being so blatant, Mel."  
  
She grinned "Your welcome!"  
  
"Anyway, to answer you question... no."  
  
"Ok, let's do it this way: Tell me the conversation..word for word."  
  
He sighed and looked at her "You expect me to tell you every word that was said?"  
  
"What? It wasn't like...bad, was it? Cause if it was something about me being sexy or whatever....no biggie. I already know." She said with a flip of her hair.  
  
He shook his head and laughed "A little superficial, aren't we, Mel?"  
  
"No...more like very....anyway, back to the conversation, what was it?"  
He rolled his eyes "You can't drop anything can you?"  
  
"But...you love me..." she started, then, frowning and brining on tears, finished "Right?"  
  
"You are one of a kind, Melanie Zardou."  
  
"Is that a yes or no?" She asked flatly "And...say my name again!" this was said in a more excited voice.  
  
"It's a yes...and...why?"  
  
"Cause! I like the way you say it! You've got like, this whole accent thing going on."  
  
"Right."  
  
"You do! Now, say it again!"  
  
"Fine. Melanie Leigh Zardou."  
  
She giggled and clapped "Yay!"  
  
He was looking at her as if she had gone mad. "I think its safe to say that you really need to go to St. Mungos now."  
  
"I know!" She said, then, with a thoughtful look added "Could you pay for the expenses sweetie?"  
  
"One of a kind girl, one of a kind."  
  
"I know! Isn't it fun?" She stood for a second and stretched and jumped on his lap.   
  
"Ow That—" She cut him off by kissing him.   
  
*Can't say I don't like this*  
  
~I like it too!~  
  
*Get out of my head, Lance!*  
  
~Aww! Draco! The shows just getting to the best part!~  
  
Then, Melanie started to undress Draco but....he pulled away.  
  
She frowned.  
  
"What?"  
  
"What'sa matter?"  
  
"Let's just say we have an audience."  
  
Mel looked around her, thinking the others were there, "Where?!"  
  
He pointed to his head.  
  
Melanie leaned in and said "LANCE! GET OUT OF HIS HEAD! THIS IS NOT A MOVIE! GO AWAY!"  
  
"Oww..Mel...that was in my ear."  
  
"Sorry...thought it might make him go away."  
  
"He's still here."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"He's a voice in my head, I don't think he has any reason to be scared of you."  
  
"Sorry." She kissed him again, slowly going into "French Class"  
  
The couple were too busy kissing to notice everyone standing in the doorway of the room. They did, however, realize they were there when Ron sneezed. Everyone, including the rest of the family standing in the doorway, looked at him.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Lori slapped him on the back of the head "You great prat! You blew our cover!"  
  
"Pervert!" Ron yelled at his cousin.  
  
Draco and Melanie both cleared their throats and the others all looked at them.  
  
"How long have you been there exactly?" Melanie asked.  
  
"Since you started yelling about getting out of his head and something about a movie." Lori answered.  
  
"Oh! I haven't told you?"  
  
"Told us what?"   
  
"Oh no biggie, just...that Draco has this annoying voice his head."  
  
"Annoying doesn't even begin to describe the experience, Mel." Draco put in.  
  
"A voice in his head?" Lori repeated.  
  
"Like I said in second year: Its not good to hear voices that no one else can hear...even in the wizarding world." Ron said.  
  
"Does the voice have a name or is it just...voice?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Lance."  
  
"Does Lance have a last name?" Ginny asked, skeptical of Draco, of all people, to have a voice in his head.  
  
"Yeah. Cadra."  
  
"So that's why you asked who he was then, Melanie?" Percy, who had appeared out of nowhere really, said.  
  
"Well....I only wanted to know who he was...I mean, come on, he's in my boyfriends head!"  
  
"How?" Hermione asked.  
  
"How what?" Draco counter-questioned.  
  
"How did he get in your head? I mean, he's been dead for years! He can't just pop up out of nowhere, you know."  
  
"Why not? He was more powerful than the Dark Lord at his highest point of power."  
  
"Yes, but he was vanquished years ago, someone would have had to used a resurrection ceremony for him to enter your mind..." She paused and everyone was waiting for her infamous line "I read it once."  
  
"Figures! Was it in Hogwarts: A History?" Lori asked.  
  
"No!"  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"Anyway, did you ever participate in a resurrection ceremony or anything?"  
  
"No. At least...I don't think so."  
  
"You would know if you were in a ceremony like this. There are several witches and wizards, usually five each, and the object of possession is in the center of the circle."  
  
"Hey, didn't you say that's what happened...when you disappeared and reappeared two days later?"  
  
"Yeah...sort of...but I don't think I was any 'object of possession'."  
  
"Your telling me you were in the middle of a resurrection ceremony?" Hermione said.  
  
"...I guess...I just remember that Mel got an owl from her mum, she told her to tell me that my dad said 'the dog are barking' and...well, basically it meant I was to go home and I went.. And then..."  
  
"Then?" Hermione pressed.  
  
"Then, there was a circle of people, muttering something completely incoherent, and the next thing I know, I'm waking up here."  
  
By now Hermione had come into the room, along with a few members of the Weasley family. "There wasn't anything between the time they were muttering and the time you woke up here?"  
  
Melanie answered for him, being he had already told her "He told me that there was some sort of bluey-greenish-white light then, he's here."  
  
He looked at his girlfriend, whom was still sitting in his lap.   
  
"What?"  
  
"I think that question was directed to me."  
  
"So? I knew the answer, I never know the answer."  
  
Hermione was quiet for a few moments, obviously thinking it all over, then, suddenly and unexpectedly she spoke up "That's it then."  
  
"What's what when?" Draco asked, confused.  
  
She sighed "You were the object of possession in the resurrection ceremony of Lance Cadra."  
  
"I'm kind of confused by all this but...ok." Melanie and Draco chroused.  
Lori spoke up "Yeah, I'm with them. I mean, when you resurrect someone...don't they take the form of their body?"  
  
"Not when you've been dead for about three centuries o. You only have a spirit form and...you have to take over someone else's mind, body, or both to live. Or else they could have been mispronouncing a word in the incantation."  
  
"Oh.."  
  
At this precise moment, an owl made its presence known by tapping on the widow. *Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap*   
  
Everyone turned to the widow it was tapping at.   
  
Draco, immediately recognizing the owl as the Malfoy family owl, jumped up, somehow, completely forgetting Melanie was still in his lap. She was thrown to the floor, straight on her butt.  
  
"Oooooowwww!"  
  
"Sorry Mel."  
  
"Apology not accepted." She said, staying where she was at the moment, crossing her arms and turning her head to look away from him.   
  
He was about to say something when the owl started tapping and hooting.   
  
"Alright, alright."  
  
"Uhh! You care about some stupid owl more than you do me?" Melanie said, having turned back to him. She stood up and walked out of the room stiffly   
  
"Sounds like someone's PMSing." Fred murrmered.   
  
"Sounds like your IMSing." Lori retorted for her friend.  
  
"And just what the bloody hell is that?"  
  
"If you don't know, I'm certainly not telling you." She said.  
  
He looked at everyone else with a 'any clue what it is' expressing.  
  
"You sodding git!" Hermoine said "It stands for Insuf–" Lori cut her off, covering her mouth.  
  
"Shut it, Mione! I don't want them to know!" She said as Hermione bit her hand. "Ow!" Lori said.  
  
"DON'T CALL ME MIONE!" Hermione yelled.  
  
Lori, trying to defend herself, said the first thing that came to mind "He get's away with it!" She said, pointing to Ron.  
  
"He's my boyfriend! He's allowed to get away with things you can't!"  
  
Lori shook her head and turned to Draco "So? What's the letter say?"  
  
Draco, re-reading the letter didn't notice that Melanie had come back and didn't hear what Lori had asked.  
  
"Hello? Draco? My friend is talking to you." Melanie said.  
  
He didn't hear her. He was too busy staring blankly at the letter.  
  
Melanie got up and grabbed the letter "Your supposed to read the letter, not stare at it blankly."  
  
"Oh, your back." he said.  
  
"Oh, your back." She mimicked him "Well, in case your wondering, this is my room! I had no where else ta go!"  
  
"Actually...you could have gone to my room." Ron said.  
  
Melanie looked at him as if he were mad.  
  
"..Actually...I just remember that your no longer welcome in my room...unless I'm there."  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"Well.....you'd probably get my boxers and put them on a flag pole or else going around giving girls my boxers saying something like 'These are my friend's, would you like to keep them?' "   
  
"Hmm...no....actually....never thought of that but...great idea, Ron." Melanie said grinning.  
  
Fred and George sighed and chorused "Have we taught you nothing Ronniekins?"  
  
"Let me think about that....actually...no, you haven't taught me anything."  
  
"So! ANYWAYS, what's the letter say, Mel?" Lori said.  
"Oh, right. Umm...lets see....ooooohhhhhh......uh...interesting..."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Well....umm....I'm not really sure...its kinda hard to make out.."  
  
"Well what's it look like?"  
  
"You really wanna know? Ok. I see Paris, I see France, I see Draco's underpants."  
  
Lori laughed "Well, I'm pretty sure that, of all people, Lucius Malfoy would not say that, Mel."  
  
"Well...you look at it!" She said, thrusting the letter to her friend.  
  
Lori had just about been to grab the letter but Fred grabbed the letter.  
  
"Lets see...actually....it says...." Fred started.  
  
"I see Paris..." George said.  
  
"I see France."  
  
Then they chorused "I see Melanie's underpants."  
  
"Say what?" Melanie said.  
  
"I see Paris–"  
  
"No! I know what you said you great prat! But when did you ever see–"  
  
"OH! That! Well, you see...one day we were going through everyone's stuff..." George started  
  
"To hang their underwear on the flag pole, and...."   
  
"We came to yours and didn't find any in your drawer...."  
  
"However! We did find some on the floor."  
  
"What?" Melanie intervened.  
  
"Well...." Fred continued.  
  
"You were sort of...."  
"In bed.."  
  
"With Draco..."  
  
Melanie turned to Draco "Draco, where was I when this all happened?"  
  
"I'd like to know where I was."  
  
Lori shook her head. "Oi! Surrounded by a ton of gits! What's the letter say someone who can read it?"  
  
Draco grabbed the letter out of Fred's hand and said "It doesn't say anything remotely close to anyone here has said."  
  
"Well then, Draco the almighty....amazing bouncing ferret, tell us what it says." Lori said.  
  
Draco glared at her for the reference of what happened in third year "I didn't like third year you know."  
  
"Actually....I was referring to our seventh year, you remember, right?"   
  
"How could I forget?"  
  
"Ok! Who cares about what happened to who in which year, just tell us what the goddamn letter says!"  
  
At the exact moment Melanie had said this, Molly walked by.  
  
"Lori! Do you think she heard me?" Melanie whispered.  
  
"Nope, if she had heard you, Aunt Molly would be scolding you right about now."  
  
Melanie sighed "Thank you!"  
  
Molly seemed to have backtracked to the doorway of the room in which everyone was in. "Is everything ok in here?"  
  
"Umm...I don't know....is everything ok in here?"  
  
She stood there for a moment, trying to analyze what Melanie was saying then she laughed "Oh dear! That's funny."  
  
Melanie smiled.  
  
"Anyway, I was looking for Percy."  
Everyone just remembered that he was even in the room. They all turned to look at him.  
  
"There you are! I've been looking for you for the past hour!"  
  
"Sorry mum, didn't realize it."  
  
"Didn't Melanie tell you?"  
  
"Tell me? Tell me what?"   
  
"She was supposed to tell you to come downstairs right away."  
  
"No...she never told me anything."  
  
"Sorry Mrs. Weasley, it must have slipped my mind."  
  
"That's quite alright dear. Percy, come with me. Your boss was needing to talk to you."  
  
As he walked by Melanie, Percy whispered "If I get fired, your dead."  
  
Melanie simply whispered back "If your fired, that's your problem. I call it a personal problem."   
  
With that Percy and Molly were out of sight and earshot. Melanie walked over and closed the door.  
  
"Alright Draco, your really starting to annoy me! Just tell us what the freakin letter says!" Melanie said.  
  
At the precise moment of now, Lance made himself noticed in Draco's head.   
  
~Draco! How you doing?"~  
  
Draco didn't realize he was talking out loud rather than just thinking "Go away."  
  
~Now, now, come on! Lets be civil!~  
  
"No! Go away!"  
  
Everyone was staring at him.  
  
"I hope your not talking to me because I live here." Ron said.   
  
"Who the hell you talking to?" Lori asked.  
  
"What?"  
"Your saying crap like 'go away' and 'no! Go away.' who are you saying that to exactly?"  
  
"Lance."  
  
"Mel....I think its time we take your boyfriend to St. Mungos."  
  
"No! WE need to go to St. Mungos." She said, pointing to the twins, Lori, and herself.  
  
"Mel? We're not the ones with strange voices that no one else can hear in our heads, now are we?"  
  
"Well...noooo....but we still need to go to St. Mungos, don'tcha think?"  
  
Lori nodded "Yeah...more or less."  
  
Melanie turned to Draco "So you see? If you go to St. Mungos, you'll have four people to accompany you!" She tried to put an arm around her boyfriend's shoulders, but it didn't work seeing as how he is much taller than her.   
  
"How about you leave the arm-around-the-shoulder job to me? And...are you sure its such a good idea for me to know four people that are going to St. Mungos? Wouldn't they think we were trying to commit some kind of conspiracy with each other?"  
  
"Oh but Draco! We are trying to commit some kind of conspiracy!" Lori exclaimed.  
  
"Am I supposed to be in on it?"  
  
"Uh-huh." she nodded  
  
"Then I'd like to know what I'm getting myself into."  
  
Lori shook her head "Your......weird...."  
  
"Well, I need to know, one, what the conspiracy is and two, what my part of it all is."  
  
"Can we just sort of....drop...the conspiracy topic?" Hermione said, getting a little annoyed of it all.  
  
"Alright, fine 'Mione, be that way, ruin our fun." Melanie said, a look of mock sadness on her face.  
  
The bushy haired girl rolled her eyes "I'm leaving now." She said as she walked out of the room in which everyone was still in.  
  
The twins looked at their watches and then to each other and in unison said "Well, we have to go, we're late for opening the shop."   
Lori shook her head and grinned "At least you own the shop, eh?"  
  
"...Sort of...we don't exactly have complete ownership yet."  
  
"Well go! Before whoever has the other part that you don't takes it away! Make that store yours completely!" Mel said.   
  
The twins gave her a strange look before leaving for work.  
  
"What? Is it so wrong to support them? They are my friends you know."  
  
Lori laughed "Great cover, Mel."  
  
She grinned "Thanks."  
  
~*~*~ 


	6. Just looking for a job

Ch6  
  
Now the summer was almost ending and autumn fast approaching. Molly Weasley was urging the now, fully grown witches and wizards, to get jobs, or at least start looking.  
  
"Really, she's right you know. I've been looking since school ended." Hermione was saying, as all the newly graduated witches and wizards sat in the living room.  
  
Lori and Melanie sighed and rolled their eyes "Of course you have." Lori said.  
  
"Your Hermione." Melanie added.  
  
"Well, I don't see either of you with a job."  
  
"You don't have one either!" Lori retorted.  
  
"No, but its only because I have to decide from the five jobs I've gotten responses from so far."  
  
"Little Miss goody-two-shoes." Melanie mumbled.  
  
"You all should really start looking, at least."  
  
"What's one of the responses you've gotten?" Melanie asked.  
  
"Auror." She stated confidentially. "I think that's what I'm going to accept...not quite sure though..."  
  
Melanie sighed and rolled her eyes "Just pick one of the what'd ya say? Million job offers?"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes and turned away from her cousin.  
  
"The thing is, she gets offers while we have to look for jobs." Lori said.  
  
"I know. She doesn't get how it is looking for stuff rather than just being offered it all on a silver plate."  
  
Both girls sighed and started looking through the Daily Prophet for available jobs.   
  
After awhile of searching, Melanie thought of something "Hey Lori? The twins have that joke shop, right?"  
  
Lori didn't look up from the paper but answered "Uh-huh, yeah."  
  
Melanie smiled "They need employees, right?"  
  
"Most likely." She had a pretty good idea what her friend was thinking and she was grinning.  
  
She was grinning that Weasley twin trademark grin "Then...why don't we...."  
  
"See if they'll let us work there?"  
  
"My thoughts exactly."  
  
Lori nodded "Shall we go?"  
  
"Go we shall."  
  
They both stood and set out to find the twins.   
  
~*~*~  
  
It hadn't take the girls long to find the twins, for they knew they were in their room, most likely creating something. What was taking so long was they had to persuade them into coming out of the hectic thing they liked to call a room.  
  
"Come on! This is important!" Melanie yelled through the door.  
  
"Fred! George! This is serious! We need to talk to you!"  
  
"Your talking right now." Fred said.  
  
Lori's eyes flamed.  
  
"We need to talk to you....face to face!" Melanie yelled.  
  
"Why?" George asked  
  
"Because!" Melanie started "....Because we need to ask you something about a job!"  
  
"A job?" Fred said.  
  
"Why would you come to us...."   
  
"For a job?"   
  
Melanie sighed "Because....we have nowhere else to go."  
  
"And we have an idea of where we wanna work." Lori put in.  
  
"And just where might that be?" George asked.  
  
"At your joke shop." The girls chorused.  
  
After a few moments of silence other than the sound of movement on the other side of the door, the door swung open.  
  
"Our shop, eh?" Fred said.  
  
"Yes." was Lori's reply.  
  
"Well...we do need some employees...."   
  
"So....why not you two?"  
  
The girls looked at each other and back to the twins.  
  
"So...is that a yes?" Melanie asked.  
  
"No. Unfortunately we can't."   
  
"What? Why?" Lori asked.  
  
"Lori? Did you forget? We don't have complete ownership yet." Fred stated.  
  
"So what?!"  
  
"We can't hire anyone without the other owner approving of you." George explained.  
  
"Well that shouldn't be too hard." Melanie said with a shrug.  
  
"Actually, he's pretty strict."  
  
"So? Aunt Molly's strict and we get along fine with her."  
  
"Yeah but, this guy is like, a million times mum."  
  
"You means he's like Hermione?" Melanie asked.  
  
"No...worse.."  
  
The girls eyes were wide "That's not fair!"   
  
"Could we at least try and get a job?" Lori asked.  
  
"I don't know if it'd be a great idea really, Lori." George said.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"We're not completely sure on this but..." Fred started  
  
"We think he might be a Death Eater." George finished in a whisper.  
  
Lori's eyes had gone back to normal but were wide again "Are you for real?"  
  
They nodded.  
  
"Then we should be there, better four than two!" Melanie said.  
  
"No." George said.  
  
"But–" Lori said.  
  
Fred cut her off "No Lori, we don't want either of you in any more danger than you could be already."  
  
Melanie frowned "What danger could we already be in?"  
  
"The whole situation with Lance being in Draco's head."  
  
"What about it? He's a voice in his head."  
"We think that he...Lance that is...is the one that made his lash out like that."  
  
"Yeah, I know, that's what I think too."  
  
"But we think he know how."  
  
"What is it then?"  
  
They shook their heads "No, not gonna tell you until we know for sure."  
  
Melanie sighed "Alright."  
  
"Well....do you two know of any other place we might be able to work at?...Till you get full ownership." Lori said.  
  
"I don't know why you keep saying that we're going to get ownership." George said.  
  
"Because you are..and why don't you?"  
  
"Because...he's super rich and he could take the building at any time." Fred explained.  
  
"Don't see why he hasn't already."  
  
"You really need to stop thinking so negatively!" Melanie scolded.  
  
"Yeah! I mean, come on! You've gotten this far! Why not full? Right?"  
  
The two sighed "I guess."  
  
Lori put her hands on the side of the, in her opinion though she'd never say anything, better twins face. "George! You need to stop thinking so negatively! You've gotten this far! Why not full?"  
  
Melanie was doing and saying the same to Fred.  
  
The girls both stepped back "That's that, then." Lori said.  
  
"We should go back to getting our job search done."   
  
With that the two went downstairs again to get back to their job hunt.  
  
~*~*~ 


	7. Replying to Reviews

Laylana-Fairyweather 2003-05-11 1 Signed -I just found this story after reading the last one. I can only read the first chapter for now but I will read again tommorrow! Great job!   
  
- Thanks! That's cool! ^_^  
Laylana-Fairyweather 2003-05-12 6 Signed - This is as good if not better than the first ff!! I like it alot. But where did Mel and Lori come from?? I keep on missing that! Update soon!!   
  
-Thanks! And Melanie and Lori are from the states. California to be exact. Lori is the Weasley's kid's cousin and Mel is her best friend and came with her because she's so gosh darn stubborn. Lol! ^_^ ...could have sworn I put something to that effect in there...oh well! Now ya know ^_^ 


	8. Ch 7 The Break up

Ch 7 - The Break up  
  
Review Reply time:  
A/N - Well....someone breaks up in this chapter! To find out who....well...you could ask me but...why don't ya just read and find out..Don't 4get 2 REVIEW!! If ya do I'll give ya more of this! Lol Also, sorry for this chap being sooo freakin short! Lol!  
  
~*~*~  
  
The next day–err–night actually, Draco was at a club/bar in Muggle England. Why is Draco in the Muggle world? Because he and Melanie and gotten into an argument and they both wanted to be as far away from each other as possible. Where is Melanie? She had a double shift at work tonight and had said to go on without her.   
  
Draco had been at the club/bar for almost two hours now and decided he should go home. He had, of course, knowing he were gonna get drunk, walked there and were walking back. However, out of the club came 2 rather than just the 1 that had gone in.   
  
He had found Melanie...or so he thought....and they were going back.  
  
After about two hours of circles, the two finally made it back to the Burrow. They came to an emptier house. Mr and Mrs. Weasley were to be gone for about a week and the twins were...well....no one knew where they went but wherever it was, it was not home. However, Lori, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were all there.   
  
~*~*~  
  
Melanie had come home around 3 am and the next morning, around 10:45 am, Melanie woke up to find some strange girl and Draco fallen asleep on the couch. Her eyes widened "DRACO MALFOY!" Her screaming could be heard throughout the house, if anyone would have been sober enough to not ignore it.  
  
Draco moved and groaned "Mel?"  
  
"YES ITS ME!"  
  
He opened his eyes. "What is it?"  
  
"EXPLAIN, NOW!"  
  
"I....wait.....explain what?"  
  
"HER!" Melanie yelled, pointing to the girl next to him.  
  
He drowsily looked over to her but before he could say anything Melanie was saying "Draco...I think....I think we're over."  
  
"No...Mel...please."  
  
"No! No Draco, that's it! We're over! Done! Through!"  
  
"Melanie, please don't..."  
  
She walked by him and he grabbed her wrist. She turned to face him, tears in her eyes and already streaming down her face "WHAT?" She asked angrily  
  
"Melanie...please...let me explain..."  
  
"NO!" She tore her wrist out of his grasp and went upstairs to her room, crying all the way.  
  
Ginny had been coming downstairs when Melanie was going up. "What's wrong?"  
  
Melanie just shook her head and continued on her way.  
  
Lori came down but she didn't see Melanie, for she had already made it to her room. "Hey, Gin!" Somehow...the two girls were completely fine, as though they had never gotten drunk.  
  
"Hey." She said gloomily  
  
Lori frowned at her youngest cousin "What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't know...Its Melanie...she came running up the stairs crying but she didn't tell me what was wrong."  
  
When they entered the living room, they knew exactly what it was. They saw Draco sitting on the couch, head in his hands, and the girl...whom they didn't know, still somehow asleep next to him.  
  
The two red headed girls looked at each other.   
  
"Never mind...I know now."  
  
"Yeah...I figured."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Needless to say, the house was full of depression and glares, all thrown towards Malfoy.   
  
Lori, Ginny, and Hermione were in Ginny's room talking, Melanie was still crying in her own room.  
  
"I can't believe he would do such a thing!" Hermione said.  
  
"I know! I thought he was better than that!" Ginny agreed.  
  
Lori stayed silent.  
  
"What do you think, Lori?" Ginny asked her cousin.  
  
"I don't know...Its hard to know what to think. I sort of expected it but then at the same time I thought that maybe, just maybe she had changed him...in some way...Guess I was wrong."  
  
The three girls sat in silence for awhile and then Lori said "Well....I'm going to go check on her."  
  
She got up and went down the hall to Melanie's room. She knocked on the oak door. "Mel? Its me, can I come in?"  
  
"Mmmhmm.." Came the muffled reply of the 17, almost 18 year old girl.  
  
Lori came in and closed the door behind her. "So...what's up?"  
  
Melanie looked up, her face tear-stained and said "I hate him!" Then she added "I hate him! I hate him! I hate him!"  
  
"Yeah...I probably would too but...Mel, you know, you really should understand that he was–"  
  
"NO! I don't care!"  
  
"Mel, you should at least let him explain what happened."  
  
"I don't know what the truth is. I don't know if I've ever known the truth with him! How could I be so sure that he would tell the truth of what happened? Or about anything for that matter?"  
  
"Mel! Calm down! Breathe in, breathe out. Take one thing at a time. First, let him explain what happened."  
  
"NO!"  
  
Lori sighed "Mel–"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Leave!"  
  
"Fine." With that, Lori left her friend to cry into her blue cased pillow.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Meanwhile....Draco was in another guest room of the house. He was banging his head against the wall when he heard a knock on the door. "What?"  
  
"Its me." Came Lori's voice.   
  
"Yeah...come in...I guess."  
  
Lori opened the door and peeked in "Is it safe?"  
  
"I'm not sure how safe it is but, come on."  
  
She came in and closed the door "You know, if you keep doing that, you'll get brain damage."  
  
He stopped for a second to look at her "That's what I'm hoping for."  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"I don't want to remember any of this."  
  
"So you want permanent brain damage instead? I see.."  
  
He looked at her for another moment then went back to hitting his head on the wall.  
  
Lori walked over to him and pulled him away from the wall "Seriously! STOP!"  
  
"Leave me alone."  
  
She sighed and as she left said, "Did that suddenly become everyone's favorite line for me?"   
  
~*~*~ 


	9. Ch 8 The Make up already! Yep

Ch 8 - The Make up (...already?! Yep...-_-)  
  
A/N - Well...my sis's character is Melanie and she's been directing the Draco/Melanie stuff on this (and the prequel of this) and she wanted her and Draco back together -_- Oh well, I write what I'm told or else I get killed....actually I wouldn't get killed but I'd probably get hurt a bit.   
  
ANYWAY enough of my rambling! Let's get to the story, shall we?  
  
~*~*~   
  
Melanie was in the bathroom, door locked, had a razor blade in her hand. She looked at it for a second then had it make contact with the underside of her wrist. Then she did it again, a little lower from the first cut.   
  
This went on for a little bit, she now has 6 cuts, getting a little deeper as they went on. She was about to do a seventh when she heard someone say "Alohorma."(sp?–ask jess) The door unlocked and opened, to reveal, of course! Draco.   
  
He looked at her, then to her wrist and arm "What are you doing?!"  
  
"Leave me alone!"  
  
"Answer me!"  
  
"Why should I?"  
  
"Are you trying to kill yourself?" He asked, as if the previous question was never asked and he went over to her and started to bandage the wounds.  
  
"Get away from me, you–you–bastard!" She said, pulling her arm away from him "And NO! I wasn't gonna kill myself! I just wanted pain...other than what you have already inflicted on me!"  
  
He grabbed her by her shoulders "You never let me explain what happened! Now your going to listen!"  
He closed the door and locked it, not that it really did any good since someone could just do the unlocking charm.  
  
"I don't have to listen to you."  
  
"You don't want to know the truth?"  
  
"I don't know if I've ever known the truth with you! How could I be so sure that you will be telling the truth of what happened? Or about anything for that matter?"  
  
"Are you saying you never really trusted me?"  
  
"I don't know if I ever truly trusted you!"  
  
By this time, the whole Weasley family, minus Mr and Mrs Weasley, as they were still gone, Harry, and Hermione were all standing in the hallway, listening.  
  
"Are you going to listen to my explanation or is it all going to be a waste of breath?"  
  
"Fine. You have....exactly five minutes."  
  
"You remember that argument we had that day?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Well, I was still mad about that and I went out and got drunk. I came home with her, I don't even know who she was. And...well, I'm pretty sure you know the rest."  
  
"Do I? Did you do anything with Miss No-name-girl?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Your sure of it?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
Melanie stayed silent for a little bit, then said "Could I give you some truth potion to be sure?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
She smiled "Let's go then."  
  
So, upon this announcement everyone left....all at once, running into one another and causing more noise than they needed to be making.  
  
Melanie raised an eyebrow "What the hell?"  
  
"Open the door and I'm sure we'll see."  
  
She did just that and did see. She saw everyone trying to move out of the way...all at once. It wasn't working very well either.  
  
"So....I guess you all heard everything, then?"  
  
Lori, being the closest and right at Melanie's feet, looked up and smiled guiltily "Hi..."  
  
"Hi...did all of you hear everything?"  
  
"Uhh...yeah..."  
  
"Well then, Hermione, you get to help me brew the truth serum."  
  
Hermione stood up from the mess of people and made her way to follow Melanie to her (Mel's) room.  
  
"Alright, let's make it then."  
  
~*~*~  
  
The potion was finally done.   
  
"Draco..." Melanie said in a tantalizing, but still a bit annoyed and angry voice.  
  
"Its done?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
He walked over to where she was.  
  
Melanie handed him the vile. "Drink it up."  
  
He did just that.   
  
"Ok! Now, tell me exactly what happened on the night of the 20th, Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
He explained everything...just as it was before, only a bit more detail in the getting drunk part.  
  
Melanie blinked "That's great. Mione? When will this all wear off?"  
  
"Well...considering the amount he was given...in about three seconds."  
  
"Really? Three....two....one...are you still under the potion?"  
  
"Yes." he said, sarcastically.  
  
"I think that's a no."  
  
He rolled his eyes "No duh, Mel."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Lori, who had been sitting in the room the whole time, decided to speak up "Soo...did this repair your relationship...even just a little?"  
  
The former couple looked at her, to each other, and back to her.  
  
"Uhh...Mel?"  
  
"Me? What do I have to answer her for?"  
  
"You know her."  
  
"So do you."  
  
"You're her best friend."  
  
"Your–ahh dang it! You got me!"  
  
Draco smiled the smile that made Melanie melt. It was also one of the things that made her fall for him in the first place.  
  
"Hello? People! My question!" Lori said.  
  
"Right..uhh....we have yet to decide that. We'll talk about it and get back to you on it." Melanie answered her impatient friend. At this point the "former" couple went to the other side of the room.  
  
"So? Did it?" Draco asked.  
  
Melanie looked thoughtful for a moment "Yeah.  
  
Thus ensued a snog fest.  
  
"Why couldn't you have just told me rather than show? I'd rather not watch you two swallow each other's heads and shove your tongues down each other's throats." Lori said, getting up to leave, disgusted by it all.  
  
~*~*~ 


	10. Ch 9 Too Good For A Title

Ch 9 - Too Good For A Title  
  
A/N - This is longer than the last two ^_^ Hope ya like it. And did ya noticed the chapter title? 'Too Good For A Title' ...well...actually its more like I couldn't think of one but hey! it works, right? lol! ANTYways, enough of my rambling! We'll get on with the story, that we shall. Oh no! I think I've got Kenshin-itis! I think I've been watching it too much! ....Wait...this is the Harry Potter section...Oh phoo! I'll shut up now and let you whoever is weird enough to (like I always do) read this Author Note read the story LOL! That probably made no sense! Oh well! Really, I'll shut up now. Enjoy the chapter!!^_^  
  
~*~*~  
  
Lori and Melanie were in Melanie's room, both sitting on her bed. Trying to decide what to do. They wanted to prank someone, they just didn't know who they were going to do it to or what they were going to do.  
  
"Ok, there's only a houseful of people, we could pick someone!" Lori said.  
  
"Even at that, what would we do?"  
  
"Draco. That's who..what I don't know."  
  
"Why Draco?"  
  
"Because, the last thing we did to him was make him turn into a ferret and the worst that happened was the aftermath of him having a tail."  
  
Both girls cracked up at the thought of Draco with a tail. Then, the said person, came in, being as the door was open. "What are you two laughing about?"  
  
"You." Lori said.  
  
"Me? What'd I do?"  
  
"You had a tail!"   
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because! I don't like that thought!"  
  
"But I do!"  
  
"Yeah! Me too, sweetie." Melanie said.  
  
Draco shook his head. God what a year that had been.  
  
"What is it Draco? Don't like seventh year?" Lori said in a voice that one tended to use when talking to a baby.  
  
"Shut up already."  
  
"Draco, you really should have learned by now that she never shuts up." Melanie said, and he sat on her bed next to her.  
  
"What were you two talking about when I came in here?"  
  
"You having a tail." The two chorused.  
  
He slapped his forehead "Oi! Go figure!"  
  
"Yep!" Lori said "Anyway, I'm gonna go see what the other two couples are up to." She bounded out of the room to spy on the other two couples.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Lori made her way down the hall to find Ginny's room empty. And soon enough she found that Ron's room was also. At this she frowned. She went to the twins room "Hey! Fred! George! Ya in there?"  
  
"Yes, Lori!" they chorused.  
  
"K! Just checkin!"  
  
The twins looked at each other. "Ok...that was...." Fred started.  
  
"Interesting?" George supplied.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Lori made her way downstairs to find Ginny and Harry in the living room. She stopped on the stairs where she had full view of them, yet they had none of her. She grinned. This should be interesting. She thought as she listened to the couple's conversation.  
  
"No Gin."  
  
"But...I thought you just said–"  
  
"Well...I did but..no.."  
  
Ginny sighed "Fine, Harry."  
  
Lori felt her face contort into a look of annoyance "Coming in on the very end of the conversation...that sucks." She stood and made her way back upstairs to her room.   
  
On her way there she had to pass Ron's room and when she did she noticed that the door was open and decided to peek in. She smiled. Ron and Hermione were talking....or arguing rather....maybe she had come in time for this one...  
  
Hermione was standing in the center of the room, both hands on her hips "Ron!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I can't believe you!"  
  
"What? I didn't do anything!"  
  
"Right...of course you didn't...unless you count sending Viktor an extremely threatening letter!"  
  
Lori blinked. "What?" She whispered to herself.  
  
"He sent me a letter first you know."  
  
"Was it in the least bit threatening?"  
  
"Hermione, you don't get it!"  
  
She let out a yell of frustration and turned to exit the room. As she did so, Lori went to the right side of the door, as if coming from downstairs and just now passing. She started to walk by and the door opened and a very angry Hermione emerged from the room, eye flaring.  
  
"Whoa! Hermione! What's up?"   
  
"Ask you cousin!" She said and stomped off.  
  
Lori blinked but entered his room. "Ron?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"What just happened?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Why's Hermione so mad?"  
  
"Oh...that...here." He thrust two pieces of parchment towards her.  
  
She took the first one and noticed that it was from Krum. Before she read any further, she looked up at Ron "Krum? What's he doing sending you a letter?"  
  
"Read it."  
  
She did just that. When she was done, her mouth had fallen open and one word was said "Wow."  
  
"Yeah. And Hermione came in and read my reply."  
  
"This one here?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
She read it and then "Did she read his letter?"  
  
"No, of course she didn't! She read mine over my shoulder and didn't read his at all!"  
  
"I can't believe he'd say something like that though."  
  
"I can."  
  
"That's only because you think that he's out to steal Hermione from you."  
  
He gave her a look.  
  
"Ok, so he basically said that but still..."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ch 10 - Let's just say....a bit of innuendo would be an understatement   
  
The next morning Lori had decided to go back to Mel's room to see what the first couple was doing. The door was closed. She decided it might be a good idea to knock. The next thing she heard was a nice *thud*. She frowned "What the hell?" She whispered.   
  
When Melanie answered the door her hair was disheveled and she was fixing her shirt.  
  
Lori raised an eyebrow at her friend but said nothing...even if she did notice the shirtless Draco behind her best friend.   
  
"Oh Mel...here." Draco said, handing her her bra.  
  
Melanie had a look of extreme annoyance on her face.   
  
The whole situation, plus the look on Melanie's face made Lori crack up. "This is...great! Did you....did you two go all the way?" She said between laughs.  
  
"Not that it's any of your business but...yes we did." Draco said, sounding rather proud of himself.  
  
"Well...evidently its not too hard...to get her ya know? A lot of guys have done it."  
  
Melanie fumed, leaned back in the room and grabbed the first hard thing she could find: an aluminum baseball bat (where it came from...no one knows) and started chasing Lori with it.  
  
Lori's eyes widened and she darted off downstairs. "AAHHHH!!!"  
  
"I AM NOT A SLUT!!" Melanie yelled.  
  
"I never said you were!"  
  
"YES YOU DID! ONLY IN DIFFERENT CONTEXT!"  
  
Melanie's statements woke everyone in the house.   
  
The twins were the first to get out of their room and into the hell of a chase between Melanie and Lori.  
  
"What happened?!" They chorused.  
  
"SHE CALLED ME A SLUT!"  
  
"No! I didn't!"  
  
"IN DIFFERENT CONTEXT!"  
  
...The chase and yelling went on for awhile but now....  
  
A/N - Sorry for the cliffie guys! I know what I'm doing but its not done and it'd make this chapter too long! Don't 4get 2 review! ^_^  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ch 11 - The Nice Little Set Up  
  
A/N - From here on out...Pyro from X2 shall be in this story but (for now at least) it isn't going to be a crossover. If it ever turns into one, I will tell you guys ^_^  
  
~*~*~  
  
Lori was sitting in Melanie's room on her bed, a few brusies here and there, talking with the said girl.  
  
"So? What now?" Melanie asked as happy-go-lucky as could be.  
  
"You just chased me with an aluminum bat for the last thirty minutes yelling at me and now you're all happy-go-lucky? Somehow...this doesn't seem to fit..."  
  
"Aww, Lori! You know I didn't mean anything by it!"  
  
"Uhh..right..."  
  
At this point Draco came in (he seems to do that a lot, doesn't he?) "What are you two girls up to?"  
  
"Nothing much." Melanie replied.  
  
"Just talking." Lori said.  
  
"What about?"  
  
"Oh nothing...just the usual." Melanie said offhandedly.  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend "What's usual for you two?"  
  
"Just how totally hot you are!" She answered.  
  
"That's only her part of the conversation." Lori whispered loudly.  
  
Draco took on a fake look of hurt "What is it, Lori? I'm not hot enough for you?"  
  
"Oh shut up you great conceited prat!"  
  
"I'm serious!"  
  
"Your serious huh? But how can that be? Only Sirius is serious and technically Sirius can never be serious so....Sirius really isn't serious."  
  
"I'm glad I know Sirius or else that would have made no sense."  
  
Lori grinned "Yeah...to bad ya do know him...I'd like to make you confused one day."  
  
After a few minutes of no one but Lori talking, Melanie and Draco getting a phrase or word every now and then, Melanie said "Lori! Shut up!"  
  
Lori looked at her friend "Why?"  
  
The other two had a conversation as if she weren't even there:  
  
"You know what we need to do?" Draco asked.  
  
"No, what?"  
  
"Get her a boyfriend. That way, when she starts talking too much, we can tell him to shut her up and he can kiss her."  
  
"That's a great idea, Draco!"  
  
"Thank you, I try."   
  
"Hmm...let's see...is there anyone down at the office she'd go for?"  
  
Lori had only heard from "That's a great idea, Draco!" and afterwards. "Huh? What the heck are you talking about?"  
  
Melanie didn't seem to hear her, she was too busy trying to think of someone that Lori might like at the office of the Department of (something). "No...he's too....weird...James? No...too uppity....Scott? Maybe...no...he's too...depressing....Jason? No....Dave? No...Bert? No...Earl? No...." She kept listing names and saying no...and the reason of which it was no for about ten minutes.  
  
"Mel, stop, your scaring me." Lori said.  
  
"Aha! I know who! Just gotta get the two ta meet...but how?"  
  
"Ok, since ya'll are like, soooo not talking to me, I'm leaving." Lori said and did just that.   
  
"What were you going on about, Melanie?" Draco asked and shut the door behind Lori.  
  
"I know who she'd like at the office."  
  
"Ok...but how–"  
  
"Are we gonna get them to meet. I know, I was trying to think of that too."  
  
"Are you friends with the guy?"  
  
"Yeah...why?"  
  
"Here's an old idea: tell him to meet you somewhere at some time and tell Lori the same. They'll meet, she'll definately start talking and..well...there you go."  
  
"Alright, I'll try it."  
  
~*~*~  
  
The next day at work, Melanie found who she had been looking for. "John! Wait! Stop!"  
  
He had been trying to get away from the blonde all morning.  
  
"Why won't you talk to me?"  
  
"I don't wanna know what your up to."  
  
Melanie ran and got in front of him "Listen! I need to talk to you!"  
  
"Now?"  
  
"No. Tonight, meet me at the park under the huge oak tree at six. We'll talk then, k?"  
  
"Don't you have a boyfriend?"  
  
"Uhh...yeah...aaand?"  
  
"Nevermind."  
  
~*~*~  
  
When she got home, about four o'clock in the afternoon, Melanie ran through the house looking for Lori. At one point she ran into Ron.  
  
"Shesh Mel! What's the hurry?"  
  
She helped him up then took him by his shoulders "Where's Lori?"   
  
"In her room, she just got home a few minutes ago."  
  
"Thanks!" She darted off to her best friends room. When Melanie got to the room she burst in, scaring Lori half to death  
  
"Mel! Don't do that!"  
  
"Ok, there's something I wanna talk to you about....alone. Meet me at the park under the huge oak tree at six, ok?"  
  
"That's thirty minutes!"  
  
"Well...you better get ready, eh?" And with that Melanie left, running down the stairs to make like she was going to the park then creeping back up to her room.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Lori went to the park under the huge oak tree to find no one there yet. She sighed "The one time I'm at a place on time.... And she missed it!"  
  
After waiting for a few minutes she saw someone coming towards the tree. She couldn't tell who because it was too dark too see from that distance, although still light outside.  
  
When the person came into view and was standing in front of the 18 year old girl, she realized a few things: 1.)This was sooo not Melanie 2.) It was a guy 3.) This guy was hot 4.) Melanie lied to her!  
  
"Who are you?" he asked.  
  
"I'm Lori...who are you exactly?"  
  
"My name is John."  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
"Melanie Zardou. I work with her, she told me to meet her here."  
  
"So, Mel put you up to this, eh?"  
  
"You know her?"  
  
"Yep, my best friend...I should have known she wasn't gonna meet me here..." She sighed.   
  
"Yeah...me too.."  
  
"So...I guess she was trying to get me a guy." She sighed again "The girl thinks I can't find my own boyfriend...Oh well...at least she picks cute guys to set me up with."  
  
He gave her a look.  
  
"I'm kidding, geez."  
  
He took out a lighter and as the two walked around the park he would flip it open, light it, kill it, close it, and start all over.  
  
"What's with you and fire?"  
  
"I'm a pyromaniac, what can I say?"  
  
Lori looked at her watch. She then realized they had been there for two hours. "Whoa! We've been here for two hours...I should really get home."  
  
"Yeah...I should to..."  
  
"See ya around." She said and started to walk off.  
  
"Yeah."   
  
~*~*~  
  
When Lori got back to the Burrow....  
  
"MELANIE LEIGH ZARDOU!" Lori yelled as she slammed the front door. Little did she know her aunt and uncle were home.   
  
"Lori Marie! Do not slam doors or yell in this house." Molly scolded.   
  
Lori's eyes widened   
  
"And just where were you?"   
  
"Work. Overtime." She said and headed upstairs. She ran to and burst into Melanie's room, just as she had done earlier. "Melanie!"  
  
Melanie and Draco had been kissing when she came in. Melanie immidately broke it.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I noticed four things when I went to the park."  
  
"And just what were these things?" Melanie said, grinning.  
  
Lori counted them off on her fingers "One, the person I met was sooo not you. Two, it was a guy. Three, this guy was hot. And four you lied to me!"  
  
"Well...it must have been a good thing I lied to you, you were gone for two hours."  
  
"I've got a question."  
  
"Ok...what is it?"  
  
"What is with him and fire?"  
  
"Didn't he tell you?"  
  
"What? That he's a pyromaniac yes."  
  
"No. I mean that he's a mutant. And he manipulates fire."  
  
"No...but you just did."  
  
Melanie sighed. "Just...go.."  
  
"Go where you dork?"  
  
"I don't care! As long as its out of my room!" Melanie said, pushing Lori out of the room. She closed the door. "Now...where were we Draco?"  
  
"I seem to have forgotten."  
  
"Let's see if this will refresh your memory." Melanie said, walking over to him and kissing him.  
  
"Hmm...I think I remember now."  
  
~*~*~  
  
The next morning Mrs. Weasley went upstairs to wake everyone and Melanie's room came first. When she opened the door she found Draco in Melanie's bed...shirtless...and...clothesless. With a lump in the bed next to him. Her eyes widened. Even though they were not, she treated the two just like her own children "MELANIE LEIGH ZARDOU!"  
  
At this, Melanie screamed "AAHHH!" and sat up, sheet around her.   
  
Because of Molly and Melanie both yelling, everyone woke up with a start and ran down the hallway to see what was going on. When they got there everyone's jaw dropped...except Lori, who simply tried to contain her laughter...unsuccessfully.   
  
"No! People! Away! Leave! Oh sheet." Melanie complained.  
  
Now everyone was laughing, save Melanie and Mrs. Weasley....even Draco was laughing...even if he was in Melanie's bed naked....3 other girls in the doorway. ((PPL! Don't think completely wrong here! He HAS a sheet! ~ From my sister - Like he would want Pothead and Weasel to see his package...puh-leaze.))   
  
The next thing anyone knew, Mrs. Weasley was yelling "DRACO ANDRETTI MALFOY!"  
  
Draco immediately stopped laughing. "How did she know my middle name?" he whispered to Melanie.  
  
"She just knows these kind of things..." She whispered back.  
  
~*~*~  
  
It was about an hour after the nice little...incident....   
  
Anytime Lori would look at Melanie or Draco she would immediately crack up. This would ensue either or both of them yelling "SHUT UP!" And her laughing harder.   
  
Everyone was scattered throughout the house: Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen, Hermione and Ron in his room, Ginny and Harry in the living room, Lori, Melanie, and Draco in Mel's room.  
  
"Ok...why does he always have to be in the room that we are when we're talking?" Lori asked, obviously referring to Draco.  
  
"Because...everyone else is with someone else and too busy to notice him." Melanie answered.  
  
"Yes Lori. They are all much too busy to notice poor little ol' me." ((I know! Its OOCness but that's sorta been throughout the story...right?))  
  
"Poor? That is something you not. Little? Yet again, something you are not. So...sorry to ruin your fun...but...that sorta doesn't work for you Draco."  
  
"Oh shut it."  
  
"Fine, fine.....DracoAndrettiMalfoy!" Lori rushed the names together and ran out of the room.  
  
"I'll get her for that...."  
  
"And just what do you expect to do to her?"  
  
"I'm not sure..."  
  
~*~*~ 


End file.
